EX-MARINE Glynn Roberts set up Essex Boot Camp with business partner James Sweeney in 2006.
The outdoor boot camp, which cover all over Essex, varies every session and takes place in park, woodland and forest locations.
This week we find out how regular boot camper Tracy Board lost over three and a half stone through consistent training in two years.

Height: 5ft 1 1/2 inches
Age 45
Weight before: 12st 13lbs
Weight now: 9st 7lbs

Tracy says:
“At 44 I had never done any hard exercise in my life and so my first session with Essex Boot Camp came as quite a shock.
The weight had been piling on over a number of years and I had a feeling that it was now or never if I wanted to lose weight.
I had lost two stone eight years prior but that had been purely through diet and I had quickly regained the weight.
With Essex Boot Camp it was a complete lifestyle change. The exercise made me reassess my eating habits and overhaul everything.
I have lost weight consistently over the two years and noticed my shape completely change.
Before I was doing what most people do and eating things like bread, chips and cakes and not thinking it was too bad.
Now I eat a high protein and low carb diet with lots of vegetables. If there is cake on offer then I won’t deny myself but I have noticed that I don’t enjoy it any more. It’s funny your mind makes you think you’ll like it but you soon realise you actually don’t.
I’m completely addicted to Essex Boot Camp now and I go three to five times a week and I am still losing weight and my shape is still changing.”

Glynn says:
“Tracy has had an incredible transformation, she looks completely different and her fitness is through the roof.
What is even more amazing is that she achieved it when she was 44, an age when many women find it hard to lose weight.
When women are over 30 they find it more difficult to lose body fat as the metabolism slows down.
The key reason Tracy was able to lose weight was down to her attitude. She knew it would take a while to do it and she was consistent.
Some of these one of day camps and fad diet plans, that promise to help you lose lots of weight in one week, just don’t work. It has to be sustainable.
When Tracy first came she had no fitness and so it was a shock to her system. But actually the body needs that shock and to be pushed in order to see results.
There is no point going to the gym if you’re not pushing yourself and most people need someone else to push them.
For an older woman the combination of exercises at boot camp are very effective. By keeping the body guessing and going from burpees to press ups to sprints makes the body have to work harder and therefore burn more calories, which can be anything from 500 to 700 calories per session.
Diet is 75 per cent of the battle and as people get into regular training they tend to adjust their diet, because they realise they need to fuel it properly.”

Glynn’s top tops on nutrition:
- Never skip breakfast, it is vital for kick-starting the metabolism and you should eat within 30 minutes of waking.
- Eat a snack every three hours whether you are hungry or not. Alternate between protein snacks and fruit.
- If you are training you need carbohydrates but it is important to eat the right ones. Stick to sweet potato and rice.
- Stay away from white carbs, and pasta altogether, and if you do eat bread eat it in the morning as it will bloat your stomach.
- Limit carbs to before 5pm as anything that isn’t used in exercise will store as fat.
- Make sure you have a meal after training to replenish your body or a protein shake. You need the combination of carbs and protein to heal and recover.